


Tall Tails

by Winnywriter



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dogs, M/M, Pet Ownership - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-18
Updated: 2013-06-25
Packaged: 2017-12-12 05:39:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/807912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winnywriter/pseuds/Winnywriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam meets Gabriel, the owner of a local no-kill dog shelter, in his attempts to rescue a lone puppy. Gabriel, as it turns out, has a thing for scruffy, adorable, long-haired strays. </p><p>And the dog is pretty cute too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Annie, and her "Gabriel runs a dog shelter" prompt. This will have a few chapters, and this is just the start. Hope you like what you see so far. :)

Sam was on his hands and knees sticking his head under a rusty old pick-up truck that was parked in a damp back alley when someone walked up behind him and said, “Little guy yours?” Immediately he jumped, banging his head on the underside of the chassis with a resounding clunk, and he slumped backwards, falling on his ass and clutching the back of his scalp.

 

“Ow...” he groaned, hissing through his teeth, and the guy who startled him quickly knelt in front of him.

 

“Geez, sorry.” The man grinned, his amber eyes glinting. “Didn't know you were so jumpy.”

 

Sam rubbed his head one last time and looked up at him; the guy ran his fingers through his sandy hair and glanced back toward the car, saying, “He isn't yours, is he?”

 

“No,” Sam said. He crawled forward again, leaning down to look under the body of the car. The puppy was still cowering near the back wheel, shaking and regarding him dubiously with wide, gleaming dark eyes. “I saw him from my bike and stopped because I saw him getting chased by some big mean tom cat. Chased the thing away, but he won't come out now. I don't really blame him.”

 

The guy who was sinking down beside him to give the puppy a visual once-over himself chuckled. “Yeah, neither do I. I'm Gabriel, by the way.” He nudged him in the shoulder with his hand, which Sam took and shook firmly.

 

“Sam,” he said. “I know it's crazy of me, but I can't stand to just leave him here...”

 

“Not crazy.” Gabriel stood up, sauntering away from the car. Sam watched him go and quirked an eyebrow, asking him where he was headed. “To my car,” Gabriel replied. “Just getting some stuff really quick. I'll be right back.”

 

Sam knelt down again, watching as the puppy curled up and wrapped its fluffy tail around its legs. Its black and white fur was matted and dirty, and one of its eyes was clouded over, from what Sam could tell. It didn't look like an injury, and Sam doubted it was new. It had probably been blind in that eye since birth.

 

Gabriel returned a few moments later with a carrier box and a bag of dog treats. He set the carrier down and squatted next to Sam to glance under the truck. “Still down there, little guy?” The puppy whimpered, and Gabriel practically melted. “God, he's a cutie. Just breaks my heart.”

 

“You and me both. How are you going to get him to come out? I've been under this car for almost twenty minutes and he's barely moved.”

 

“I have a secret weapon,” Gabriel said. He took a hard candy out of his pocket and popped it in his mouth.

 

Sam chuckled. “Your secret weapon is a Jolly Rancher?”

 

“No! Helps me concentrate.” He shoved the wrapper back into his pocket and opened the bag of dog treats next, placing one on the ground beneath the truck. “This is my secret weapon. Poor thing looks starved. Might trust us more if we get some food in him.”

 

The two of them pulled back, watching from a distance as the dog eyed the treat carefully. Slowly, it got up, moving toward it, and Gabriel bit his lip in excitement. The puppy licked at it, deliberated a moment, and then ate it. Gabriel and Sam both grinned triumphantly.

 

“C'mon, fluffball,” Gabriel crooned as he took another treat and tossed it under the car, a bit closer to the edge. “Let us help you out, huh?”

 

Treat by treat, they lured the puppy out, and Gabriel dumped a few more into the carrier and left it sitting open by the car. When the puppy had wandered inside, he closed the door and locked it quickly; the puppy stared at them and whined, looking betrayed.

 

“Aww, it's okay, little guy,” Sam said, looking into the carrier. “We're gonna help you. Promise.” He glanced up at Gabriel. “Why did you have this stuff anyway?”

 

Gabriel shrugged and picked up the carrier, heading out toward the street with Sam close behind. “I run a dog shelter a few blocks down. Kind of my job to be prepared, you know? Like a Boy Scout!”

 

“A dog shelter...” Sam wracked his brain. “You mean Tall Tails?”

 

Gabriel grinned. “That's the one!”

 

Sam followed alongside Gabriel as they made their way to his car. It was a pale gold Prius, plastered with bumper stickers: the obligatory “Coexist” sticker made up of different religious symbols, another that read “I love my K9,” one with a purple peace sign and the words “Peace, yo” scrawled beneath it, a decal across his back window that read “Bitch, please” in big bold letters – they were only a few that Sam noticed as he watched Gabriel carefully put the carrier in the back seat.

 

“He probably needs to go to the vet,” Sam said. “He doesn't look like he belongs to anyone. Probably doesn't have any shots. And I think he might be blind in one eye.”

 

“Saw that,” Gabriel said. “That's where I'm headed anyway. You want to come with?”

 

“Come with you?”

 

“Yeah! I mean, you invested a good amount of your time in this puppy already. Figured you might want to. Course, if you didn't, I can handle him on my own just fine.”

 

“No, I'd love to.” He gestured down the street. “My bike's about a block down the road. I'll meet you there.”

 

Gabriel tapped on the roof of his car and nodded. “Sounds good to me, Sammich.”

 

* * *

 

They met up in the parking lot of the vet's office, and Gabriel was just hoisting the puppy carrier out of the car when Sam leaned on the hood next to him. The dog inside whimpered loudly, and it made Sam's heart ache. He could tell by the look in Gabriel's eyes that it did just the same to him.

 

“Think we should give him a name?” Sam asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

 

Gabriel smiled at him, knowingly. “Getting attached already, Sam?”

 

“I just figured...I mean, we can't keep calling him “dog,” you know?”

 

“Guess that's true,” Gabriel said, heading for the door. “I mean neither of us is Randy Jackson. Least not to my knowledge.” He eyed Sam carefully. “You're not, right?”

 

“Don't think so.”

 

“Damn. Does that mean I don't get an autograph?”

 

“Sorry.”

 

Gabriel just chuckled as he pushed open the door and went inside.

 

* * *

 

Sam stared at the fish tank in the waiting room as Gabriel leaned across the counter and talked to the vet. He'd been watching a brightly colored tetra swim from one side to the other, darting through the bubbles rising up from the plastic treasure chest at the bottom for almost half an hour, and only looked up when he felt Gabriel sit beside him again.

 

“So?” he asked.

 

“Well, first off, turns out he's a she.”

 

“Hope she's not pissed we were calling her “little guy” the whole time.”

 

“I think she'll forgive us. You were right about one thing, though. She's blind in that eye. They think she has been since birth. Other than that, a few flea bites and her and being pretty underweight, she's in pretty good health.”

 

“You gonna take her to the shelter, then?”

 

Gabriel frowned and sighed. “That's the thing...We're a no-kill shelter and we're already overcrowded right now. I want to take her, but...I don't know if she'd be adopted that easily, what with the wonky eye and all. Not that it matters to me, but a lot of people aren't exactly jumping at the chance to adopt a half-blind puppy.” He shrugged sadly. “It sucks, but it's true. I can't stand the thought of her, sitting in a cage, watching other dogs come and go.”

 

“Maybe someone would take her, though. She's sweet. A bad eye doesn't mean she's not.”

 

“Of course she is, Sam, and maybe they would. Maybe I'm just being cynical, but if she wasn't...eventually I'd have no choice but to send her somewhere else. And I don't know what would happen to her then.”

 

Sam felt his heart sink, and he folded his hands in his lap, staring down at them. He felt something tugging at him, deep in his gut, and he tried to ignore it, tried to tell himself that he wasn't ready, that it wasn't a good idea, but the feeling persisted. She needed a home, and he had one to give, so he straightened his back and said, “What if I took her?”

 

Gabriel's face lit up like a Christmas tree. “You really want to?”

 

“I had a dog for a while. He...he died a few weeks ago. I've been thinking of getting another, and...maybe it's a sign or something.” Before he knew what was happening, Gabriel was leaning close to him, staring at him intently. “What?”

 

“You serious?” Gabriel asked solemnly. “Don't say it if you're not serious about it, Sam.”

 

Slowly, he nodded, and Gabriel's megawatt grin stretched across his face again. He threw his arms around Sam's shoulders and squeezed. “I could just kiss you right now, Sammich!” He pulled back, smirking. “Hehe...sorry. Guess I'm just excited that our little fluffball has a home.”

 

“Me too,” Sam said. “I'll talk to the vet about getting her the shots she needs, and some flea meds too. Do you mind if I borrow that carrier from earlier?”

 

“Sure thing. Anything you need. You need a ride to your place?”

 

Sam shook his head. "It's walking distance from here, really."

 

"Aw, come on, Sam. I insist. It's the least I can do, if you're going to be keeping her out of some kennel. Just one condition."

 

"What's that?"

 

"You have to come back to the shelter sometime to tell me how she's doing."

 

“Or you could come see her yourself once she's settled in,” Sam offered. Gabriel smiled at him, softly, and Sam fought back a blush. Of course he had no reason to be blushing, but that only made it harder to stop.

 

“So what about that name?” Gabriel asked. “She still needs one. And if you're taking her home, the honor is yours, Sammich.”

 

“I'll get back to you on that,” Sam told him.

 

“Yeah, you better.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's important to note that after writing this chapter I went back to chapter 1 and made a few minor edits. Nothing really plot-changing per se, but it was important for me to go back and change for the sake of accuracy. The reasons for it will become more clear in the next chapter.
> 
> Also sorry this chapter is just a bit short. The next one will probably be a little longer.

Sam hadn't been inside a dog shelter for years; he hadn't set foot in one since they had adopted Sasquatch nearly a decade before. Of course, he hadn't come in to Tall Tails looking to adopt this time. That had already been taken care of. He was here looking for somebody on two legs, not four.

 

There was nobody behind the counter as he walked through the glass doors, hearing the energetic barking and howling coming from the kennels past the door near the reception desk. He leaned against the counter, putting the empty dog carrier in his left hand on its surface, and rang the bell to his right. He waited...and waited, but nobody came. Maybe someone was out for a coffee break or something, he thought. Maybe he could leave the carrier here, but he wanted to give it to Gabriel in person, if only to fulfill his promise to let him know how the dog was doing.

 

He wandered around the counter, peering through the window in the swinging door that led to the kennels. Just as he did, the door swung open, hitting him in the nose with a powerful _thwack_ , and he staggered backwards.

 

“Shit! You okay?” Gabriel asked, frozen in the doorway, looking unsure as to whether he should laugh or grab the first-aid kit.

 

“Yeah...I'm good,” Sam said stiffly. He gingerly took his hand away from his nose. It wasn't broken, wasn't even bleeding. 

 

Gabriel let out a chuckle. “Seems like every time I see you, you hurt yourself. Maybe I should stay away from you.”

 

“I think I'll live.” Sam grinned, and then remembered himself, going over toward the counter again. “I wanted to bring this back. Figured you'd need it.” He grabbed the carrier and held it out to Gabriel, who smiled and took it, setting it by the door.

 

“Almost forgot about it,” Gabriel said. “How's that little furball doing, by the way?”

 

“She's back at the vet's now. Getting her shots and a flea bath. I should get back pretty soon, but I had a little time, and it's right down the street anyway, so...” He looked around the lobby of the shelter, admiring the murals of cartoonish dogs prancing through green pastures that were painted all over the walls, and the decorative plastic bones that adorned the front of the desk. “Nice place.”

 

“I like to think so.” Gabriel fanned himself a bit, slouching behind the desk and swiveling back and forth in his rolling chair. “Sorry...just helped get some of the big dogs out for some exercise. Kinda sweaty.”

 

“It's June. I don't blame you. I won't tell anyone,” Sam assured him.

 

“'Preciate it. So, you're doing okay? Getting settled in alright?”

 

“Great. It's actually kind of nice to have her around, you know? Makes the place a little less empty. I don't know if my neighbors are all that happy about me having another dog, though...”

 

“Why's that?”

 

“The guy that lives across from me is...really not a dog person. He hated Sasquatch, even though he was one of the most mild-mannered dogs I've ever seen.” Sam felt a familiar ache in his chest and trailed off. Gabriel didn't press him, despite how curious he seemed. “Anyway, I was wondering...you know when I said you should come by and visit sometime? See how she's doing?”

 

Gabriel perked up and grinned at him. “Sure do. The offer still stand?”

 

“Yeah. Definitely.” He reached into his pocket, grabbing the folded sticky note onto which he'd scrawled his address, and handed it to Gabriel. “That's my address in case you need it again. You can come by tomorrow evening if you want. Apartment 23C.”

 

“23C. Got it,” Gabriel said. “See ya then.”

 

“Great.” Sam waved, starting to leave, but Gabriel stopped him.

 

“Did you ever give her that name?” Gabriel asked when Sam turned around.

 

He nodded. “Yeah,” he said, smiling. “Angel.”

 

After a moment's thought, Gabriel smiled, wide and genuine. “Angel, huh? Sounds perfect to me.”

 

* * *

 

Sam was just bringing Angel in from a quick walk around the block when he spotted Gabriel leaning against the door of his apartment. Angel barked and tugged on her leash, bouncing excitedly, as if she recognized him. Maybe she just smelled the other dogs on him. Gabriel turned as Sam pulled out his keys, and waved at him.

 

“You're early,” Sam said.

 

“Well you never told me what time to be here. Figured you were out with the fluffball somewhere since I didn't hear her barking her little lungs out when I knocked.”

 

Sam chuckled as he unlocked the door, Angel hopping up to sniff at Gabriel's knees when the leash allowed her to get close enough. Gabriel leaned down and scratched behind her floppy ears. Angel let her tongue hang out of her mouth as she happily panted, her tail thumping against Sam's ankle.

 

“I think she likes you,” Sam said with a grin.

 

Gabriel arched an eyebrow at him. “What's not to like?” Sam opened the door, leading the three of them inside. He knelt down to take the leash off of Angel's collar and the dog immediately bounded over to the sofa and curled up by the armrest. Sam sighed.

 

“Sasquatch always used to do that,” he mused. Gabriel titled his head to one side, questioningly. “Always used to head straight for the couch when we got home. I tried keeping him off, but I gave up after a while. It was kind of a waste of energy, you know? I sort of just accepted that my couch would be eternally covered in dog hair.”

 

Gabriel went over to Angel, absently scratching her neck as he studied a picture on the table beside the couch. Nestled inside a silver frame was a snapshot of Sam – with much shorter hair – wrapping his arms around a shaggy German shepherd. Behind him was another man, looking to be about Sam's age or maybe a tad bit older, wearing sunglasses and grinning as he knelt in the grass beside Sam.

 

“That Sasquatch?” Gabriel asked, pointing at the dog.

 

“Yeah, that's him,” Sam replied. He picked up the photo and smiled wistfully at it. “We got him my junior year of college, while I was living with my big brother.” He gestured at the other man in the picture. “That's him. Dean.”

 

Gabriel stopped scratching Angel's, neck, and she leaned up and stared at him with wide, questioning eyes, as if wondering why he'd done so. He rolled his eyes and started up again, and she curled up once more, contentedly.

 

“Guess he likes dogs too, huh?” Gabriel asked.

 

“He pretended Sasquatch drove him up a wall when we lived together, but I always knew he loved him.” Sam sat beside Angel on the couch and took over scratching duty from Gabriel. “He seemed kind of surprised when I told him about Angel. But he gave us a lift back here from the vet yesterday since she was feeling kind of groggy after her shots and all, and she won him over in all of five minutes.”

 

Gabriel chuckled. “Doesn't surprise me. She's a little charmer.” He knelt down on his knees beside the couch and rubbed Angel's belly. She rolled over with a yawn. “Geez, it's like you'd never even know she was a stray.”

 

“Well she's pretty young,” Sam said with a shrug. “Maybe she's just naturally a sweetie.”

 

“I'll bet.”

 

“Anyway, if you felt like sticking around for some dinner, I was thinking of just ordering a pizza. Not exactly fancy, but I didn't really feel like cooking.”

 

“Do I look like I'm gonna demand fancy?” Gabriel asked, barely hiding a smirk. "Pizza sounds fantastic, thanks."

 

“Great.” Sam got up, leaving Gabriel to fill the rest of Angel's petting quota. He was just checking the fridge for the number of the pizza place when the puppy came bounding into the kitchen, barking and circling around his ankles. Gabriel followed soon after. “What's with you?” Sam asked staring down at the excitable dog.

 

“She just sprang up out of nowhere. Maybe she got tired of me.”

 

Sam furrowed his brow as Angel kept barking and yapping, rushing around him in quick little circles, her claws scratching against the linoleum with every movement. “Angel, quiet down. What's the matter, girl?”

 

“Something the matter?”

 

“I don't know.” He nudged Angel with one foot, but she just barked even louder. “It kind of reminds me of something Sasquatch used to do, actually...but he only did it when I...oh...” His head began to swim, and he stumbled toward the living room, feeling an all too familiar fog overtaking his body. “Shit...”

 

“Sam?” Gabriel asked, sounding urgent. Angel barked, and barked and barked, whining and whimpering.

 

Sam just barely managed to make it to the living room before he pitched forward onto the carpet and blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

All Sam remembered was falling, the world going dark. He'd barely registered the impact of hitting the carpeted floor, his mind lost in a haze. Now, as he came to, the first thing his frazzled brain was able to register was the light nudge of something wet and cold against his palm, and a worried, high-pitched whining.

 

His head ached; he groaned, and somehow he was able to make out that he was asking for orange juice.

 

When he finally did open his eyes, a pair of wide amber ones stared back at him, and he wasn't sure if he was shaking, or if Gabriel was. Either way, he just wouldn't sit still long enough for Sam to focus on him, and he squinted. “Sam...Jesus Christ, Sammich...Can you hear me? Fuck, Sam...come on, say something. Anything.”

 

Sam felt vaguely annoyed that his request for orange juice had apparently gone unnoticed.

 

Slowly, the world began to clear, and he became all too aware of the soreness in his muscles, like he'd just come back from a particularly intense session at the gym. It wasn't so much pain, but a deep, unrelenting exhaustion that made him feel as if he was sinking into the floor, or perhaps like he wanted to.

 

Angel had tucked herself under his arm, watching Gabriel as he stumbled toward the kitchen. “Where's your phone? I gotta call 911...It's gonna be okay, Sam...Just take it easy.”

 

“Gabe...” Sam managed to groan, and Gabriel's face was filling his vision again. He'd gone pale, and he was definitely shaking, but he was trying desperately to hide it.

 

He took a moment to grab Sam's hand, nudging Angel out of the way as he did. He held it tightly as he said, “It's alright. Just stay there, Sammich. It's gonna be alright.”

 

Sam almost wanted to roll his eyes, but the sincerity in Gabriel's voice, along with the fog that still lingered over his sluggish thoughts, made it difficult to do so. “Don't call anybody...”

 

“What do you mean don't call? You had a damn seizure, Sam. A full-on fucking-” He stopped, took a deep breath, and – Heaven bless him – forced a smile. “It's okay. It's alright, Sammich...”

 

Sam wasn't entirely sure if Gabriel was speaking to him or merely to himself, but in either case, he reached out and grabbed his arm, making him pause. “Don't need to...” He nudged him gently, letting him see the glint of metal beneath his sleeve, and when Gabriel did, and pulled it back, he stared at the medic alert bracelet he found there. “Really...” Sam managed. Slowly, Gabriel put the phone down on the floor and studied the bracelet.

 

“Epilepsy?” he asked softly. Sam's head was starting to clear, just letting him feel the physical exhaustion even more acutely, and he managed a nod.

 

“Just need...bed...help me...” He tried to sit up, which was no small task, and it made his head swim; Gabriel's hands were on him instantly, pressing against his shoulder and back. It was by no means easy, but he got Sam up off the floor, and Angel bumped against Gabriel's ankles with every step as they made their way to the bedroom.

 

Sam flopped onto the bed and snuggled against his pillow, Angel hopping up and curling against his thigh. Gabriel stood beside him, staring at him, looking like he had no idea what to do with himself. Sam felt he should say something, so despite the exhaustion that was weighing on him, he mumbled, “M'not dying...”

 

Gabriel's voice was small, almost child-like, when he whispered back, “You had a seizure, Sammich.” From the look in his eyes, Sam could tell that Gabriel was replaying what had to have been terrifying to watch over and over in his head, and he reached out with a supremely heavy arm to let his fingers brush soothingly against Gabriel's sleeve.

 

“I know...and I'm sorry...I should have told you.”

 

“Not like you can help it,” Gabriel said, managing the smallest of smiles as he shrugged. “And epilepsy isn't really something that comes up a lot in casual conversation.”

 

“No, but you were probably scared shitless.”

 

Gabriel sheepishly scratched his arm before looking back at him, concern gleaming in his eyes. “You sure you're okay, Sammich?”

 

“I'm tired...and sore.” But at least he didn't puke. Or piss himself. That was a win, at least. All things considered, he counted himself rather lucky.

 

“Maybe you should get some sleep.”

 

“I will. In a minute...Are you okay?”

 

Gabriel's smile was more genuine this time. “Geez, Sam. You just had a seizure, and you're asking _me_ if _I'm_ okay?”

 

Sam managed a weak chuckle. “It's kind of messed up, isn't it? Humor me.” Angel moved, padding up toward his arm and nudging his side until he began to pet her again.

 

“I'm fine,” Gabriel assured him. He rocked on his heels a few times, back and forth, until he glanced over at the trunk resting at the foot of Sam's bed. He sat down on it and twiddled his thumbs, nodding at Angel. “It was almost like she knew...”

 

“Yeah...” Sam mused, scratching behind the dog's ear. “Sasquatch used to...” He paused, smiling wistfully as he remembered that old shaggy dog. He took a breath, and leaned back against the soft pillow, Angel glancing up at him as he shifted. “You ever feel like they can understand some things better than people?”

 

“I work a dog shelter, Sam,” Gabriel reminded him with a sly grin. “I can't remember a time when I didn't think that.”

 

Sam smiled down at Angel as she rested her muzzle on his chest and gazed up at him, and he let out a sigh, his eyelids feeling unbearably heavy. “Tired?” Gabriel asked, and Sam managed a weak nod.

 

“Just need to sleep...just a little...”

 

Gabriel bit his lip. “Do you want me to stay?”

 

“You don't have to-”

 

“I want to.” He knocked his heel against the side of the trunk, and Sam could have sworn he saw him turning just the slightest bit red. “I mean...hell, I just don't think you should be alone.”

 

Despite his exhaustion, Sam smiled at that, and said, “Okay.”

 

Gabriel nodded, patted his knees, and stood, heading for the living room after casting one last glance back at him. Sam forced his eyes open for just a minute more and called his name, and when Gabriel turned, he said, “My wallet's in the kitchen. Why don't you go ahead and order that pizza? On me.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“If you're gonna be stuck here I don't want you to go hungry.”

 

Gabriel chuckled, and Sam finally let sleep take him, Angel's contented breathing a warm and steady rhythm against his side.

 

* * *

 

When he woke up, he still felt sluggish and groggy, and his muscles ached and protested his every move, but he had little trouble getting up off the bed. Angel hopped down with a soft thump and sat at his feet, her tail wagging as she stared up at him with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. He reached down and patted her head, rubbing his eyes as he hoisted himself off the bed, but he paused when something on his bedside table caught his eye: a glass of orange juice.

 

He arched an eyebrow in confusion even as a fond smile graced his lips; he was feeling a bit parched, so he took it with him as he headed into the living room.

 

Sam didn't know what time it was; he didn't bother looking at the clock, but a glance out the window brought it to his attention that it had gotten dark sometime between his falling asleep and waking. Gabriel was stretched on the couch, nibbling on a pepperoni, and when he saw Sam, he stood. “You're awake,” he said, and Sam nodded, gesturing at the glass in his hand.

 

“Thanks for the vitamin C,” he said. “But...why orange juice?”

 

“You asked for it,” Gabriel said with a shrug.

 

Sam furrowed his brow. “I did?”

 

“Yeah. Right when you were coming out of it. You kept asking for orange juice. You seemed pretty woozy, so I wasn't really sure what to make of it, but I didn't know if you...I dunno, needed it or something.” When Sam chuckled, Gabriel asked, “Is that funny?”

 

“It's just, my brother used to do the same thing when I was a kid. I had this thing against drinking water when I was little, so Dean always used to give me orange juice. Even when I grew out of that whole picky phase, I guess it just sort of stuck.” He sat on the couch beside Gabriel and sipped his juice before leaning back against the cushion with a deep sigh. “Geez, I haven't had one like that in months. Almost forgot how sore it makes me...”

 

“You...need anything?” Gabriel asked tentatively.

 

Sam shook his head. “I'll be okay. I barely ever have them anymore. My meds keep them pretty well in check. But ever now and then one slips through, I guess.”

 

“And you're sure you're okay?”

 

“Yes, alright?” Sam snapped, and he regretted his tone the instant he'd used it. He rubbed his temples, closing his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the guilt flashing across Gabriel's worried features. “Sorry...Shit, sorry. I don't mean to snap. It's just...I don't like people thinking I'm broken is all.”

 

“I don't think you're broken,” Gabriel assured him, and Sam managed a tired smile.

 

“I know you don't.” He stared down at his orange juice. “You wanna know something?”

 

“Something personal?”

 

“Yeah. Something personal.”

 

Gabriel shrugged. “I'm listening.”

 

“I moved in with Dean my sophomore year of college. Halfway through my junior year, our dad died.” Gabriel watched him sympathetically, folding his legs underneath him and propping his elbow up on the back couch cushion to rest his cheek on his palm.

 

“Were you close?”

 

“Not really.” Sam dragged his finger across the edge of the glass, watching the ripples move across the surface of the liquid inside. “But my mom died when I was little, so when he went, it was just sort of me and Dean. It hit me harder than I thought it would. I stopped taking my meds. It was a stupid thing to do, but I guess I just felt like it was the only thing I could control. Both my parents were dead, and Dean could be...overbearing. I think he was afraid of losing me too.”

 

“Can hardly blame him for that, Sam,” Gabriel said softly.

 

“I know. I don't. But it still didn't help, and stopping my meds didn't do anything good for me either. I had a seizure. A bad one. While I was carrying groceries up the stairs.” Gabriel winced, and Sam let his hand skim across his own chest as he continued, “Broke my collar bone, one arm and an ankle, and I had bruises over every inch of me. After that...Dean and I both just knew that we had to do something, and call it fate or luck or God, or whatever you want, but that's when we got Sasquatch.”

 

“That shaggy German shepherd?” Gabriel asked, gesturing at the picture on the side table. Sam nodded.

 

“He was a rescue dog. Already an old man when we got him. One of the most laid back things I'd ever seen.” He let out a small laugh as he remembered the scruffy dog padding around his and Dean's old apartment like an amiable four-legged ghost, dragging himself up onto the couch to lay across Sam's lap whenever he sat down. Even as he thought of it, Angel came bounding in, jumping up on the leg of the sofa and perching there, like a cat. Gabriel chuckled fondly and Sam reached up to scratch her ear.

 

“After I went back on my meds, I barely ever had seizures anymore. But Sasquatch, he did this thing...I don't know how, but it was like he knew. Before I'd have one, he'd start barking like crazy, nip at my legs. I never figured out why, but it gave me enough time to go lie down so I wouldn't hurt myself.”

 

“Good dog,” Gabriel said, and Sam nodded his agreement.

 

“Dean never believed me until he saw it happen himself.”

 

“You know, they say some dogs can smell cancer," Gabriel said after a moment's thought. "They can tell when it's gonna rain, if there's an earthquake coming. Almost like they're a tiny bit psychic.”

 

“Well, psychic or not, he probably saved my life, maybe more than once. After he died, honestly, I was kind of scared. I thought for sure I'd have to move back in with Dean. Not that it would be the worst thing in the world, but being on my own means a lot to me, you know?”

 

“What perfect timing for this little fuzzball to show up, then, huh?” Gabriel mused, and Angel looked over at him, seeming to realize that he was talking about her. Her tail thumped excitedly against the back of the couch.

 

“Tell me about it,” Sam said.

 

Gabriel played with a frayed bit of thread coming off the cushion beside him, turning over the words in his mouth a few times before asking, “Do you mind if I ask...how did Sasquatch die?”

 

Sam shrugged, fighting off the ache in his chest. “Just old age.” He let out the smallest of laughs, fearing that if he didn't, the tears that were prickling behind his eyes would win out. “He stopped eating. That's when I knew. I considered putting him to sleep, but it didn't seem like he was in pain, so...I just sort of waited. And one night, I was asleep, and he crawled up next to me and curled up in my arms. He'd never done that. Always slept at the foot of the bed. I think he was telling me that it was time, that it was okay. And when I woke up the next morning...”

 

He trailed off. Dammit all, he was not about to cry here. Not now, not in front of Gabriel.

 

“Bet he was happy,” Gabriel offered, and Sam could swear his words sounded strained.

 

“I like to think so.”

 

Angel hopped down and settled between them, looking back and forth at each of them until they relented and started to pet her again, Sam scratching at her neck as Gabriel's hand settled on her rump. “Geez, I didn't mean to dump all this personal crap on you,” Sam breathed, smiling past the burning in his eyes.

 

“Aw, you think I can't handle some personal crap? Please. You underestimate me, Sammich.” He patted Angel a few times on the backside, and she glanced over at him, looking almost scandalized. “You know...I promise I won't get all overbearingly mothering on you, but do you need anything? I can stay longer if you want.”

 

“Thanks, but I'm fine. Really, I just need to rest. You probably need to get to work tomorrow anyway.”

 

“Yeah...those dogs do like to rise bright and early. What about you? You need a ride or anything?”

 

Sam shook his head. “Nah. I work at the library down the block. It's a ten-minute walk, tops. Even so I'll probably take the day, just to be safe.” He grinned before adding, “Or are you just looking for an excuse to spend time with me?”

 

Had anyone asked, he would have denied it, but he was supremely satisfied with himself when he noticed Gabriel's blush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't pretend to be an expert on epilepsy, though I did my fair share of research to get the basic facts nailed down. If you're looking for answers you can be sure are accurate, I'd encourage you to do your own research, or talk to an expert.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be worth noting here that when I started this fic, I had pretty much zero idea where it was going. I'm sort of making it up as I go along, so as I've added things to the plot, I've gone back and edited a few things here and there for consistency's sake. They're all rather inconsequential, but thanks for putting up with it anyway. :) Here's chapter 4~

Sam surprised himself by being in a pretty damn good mood as he left his apartment to head to the library for his morning shift. He'd taken a day off of work to rest, and Angel had barely left his side; she'd padded along beside him as he'd gone to the kitchen to make lunch, perched on the toilet like a loyal little gargoyle as he'd taken a long, hot bath, and curled up between his knees as he'd lay on his bed with his laptop open on his stomach. She hadn't even complained when he'd neglected to walk her for the day, content to sit by the window and occasionally yap at the birds that flew by as Sam watched TV with a heating pad pressed against his sore back. It was almost like he had a fluffy little guardian angel, and he chuckled to himself at how aptly he seemed to have named her.

 

“I'll be back in a few hours, girl,” he assured her as he knelt down and scratched behind her ears. She seemed to smile at him. “And then we'll go for a good long walk. Promise.” She turned and licked his hand, and he grinned before standing and getting his keys out of his pocket. He watched as Angel bounded into the kitchen and began to eat the food he'd left in her bowl before he closed the door and locked it behind him.

 

He stretched by the door before turning to head down the stairs; he was still a bit sore and stiff from his recent episode, but the pain pills he'd taken with breakfast were bound to kick in by the time he got to work, and it was nothing he hadn't dealt with before. But as he rolled his stiff shoulders, the door across from his opened.

 

“You know that dog of yours needs to learn to keep its muzzle closed,” chimed a smooth, low voice.

 

Sam frowned as he turned. “I can't help it if she barks, Gordon. And she's actually pretty quiet as far as I can tell. She barely makes any noise.”

 

“Says you,” Gordon hissed, leaning against the door frame and glaring. “It was yapping like crazy the other day. I was this close to calling the landlord.”

 

Sam locked his door and headed for the stairs that led down to the parking lot at the front of the complex. “Something...spooked her,” he said. “It's not going to be a problem.”

 

“It feel starved for attention while you were fucking that guy you had over?” Gordon spat, and Sam whirled around to glare at him. His stomach turned when he saw the other man grin.

 

He could have denied it; after all, nothing had happened. But he knew that Gordon would either assume he was lying or he just wouldn't care, and Sam didn't want to give the guy the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him anyway. So he rolled his eyes, letting Gordon clearly see him do so, and said, “Mind your own business, Gordon.”

 

He stomped down the stairs, determined to ignore anything else Gordon might have said. He wasn't about to let him ruin his remarkable good mood.

 

* * *

 

Sam was going over the stock inventory on the library computer when he glanced up and noticed a familiar face approaching the desk. He grinned as Gabriel leaned on it and mirrored the expression back at him. “Well hot damn,” Gabriel muttered, keeping his voice low. “I can feel my inner librarian kink coming to life.”

 

Sam fought back a blush and choked on his laugh, and Gabriel nudged him in the shoulder, saying, “Just messin' with you, Sammich.”

 

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked, turning the computer screen away to give his eyes a break from scanning over the endless list of book titles.

 

Gabriel shrugged. “I was on my lunch break. Figured I'd come say hi.”

 

“That's sweet of you.”

 

“Well, that's me for you. Sweet.” He began to unwrap a Snickers bar, and Sam cleared his throat. Gabriel paused mid-bite, following Sam's hand when he pointed down to a sign on the front of the desk that said “No food in the library.” Gabriel groaned. “You can't make an exception for me?”

 

“I don't make the rules, Gabriel. My boss does.”

 

“He here?”

 

“ _She's_ back in the stacks, I think. But trust me, you don't want to mess with Missouri. She runs a pretty tight ship.”

 

“Alright, fine,” Gabriel sighed, taking one bite before covering the rest with the wrapper and putting it away. “So...how are you doing?”

 

“Fine,” Sam said. “Kinda sore, but I slept in yesterday. Took the day off. I'm feeling a lot better now.”

 

“Good,” Gabriel said with a nod, and he shuffled in place a moment. “You know...actually, I was wondering something.”

 

“What's that?”

 

“Well, I wanted to really pay you back for taking that little furball in the way you did. So what do you say you come over to my place sometime? Say, tomorrow night? Around seven? We could have a few drinks, and you could bring Angel too, if you like. I'll bet she'd get along great with Twix.”

 

“You have a dog?”

 

Gabriel scoffed. “Sam, I run a damn dog shelter. Of _course_ I have a dog! He's a Jack Russell. Annoying little bastard, but I do love him.” Sam smiled at that. “I can come pick you up if you want. It's no trouble.”

 

“You sure you wouldn't mind getting border collie hair on your upholstery?”

 

“I spend my days practically rolling around in dog hair, Sammich,” Gabriel said, leaning over the counter and grinning. “A little more won't hurt anything.”

 

* * *

 

Sam attached the leash to Angel's collar and glanced out the window that overlooked the parking lot. He didn't see Gabriel's car anywhere quite yet, but he was due any minute, and his heart skipped in his chest. “Why do I feel nervous?” he asked Angel, who was busy pawing at the latch that joined the leash to her collar. “I'm not nervous. Why do I feel like I am?”

 

Angel nipped at his fingers when he reached down to pet her, and he tapped her on the nose. “You'll behave yourself, right? Won't get into any fights with Snickers, or whatever his dog's name is.” Angel yapped and Sam glanced out the window again just in time to see Gabriel's Prius pulling up to the curb.

 

* * *

 

“I thought she'd hate riding in a car,” Sam said, watching Angel stick her head out of the back window as they drove. “She didn't seem very fond of Dean's Impala when he gave us a ride back from the vet's.”

 

“Probably because all those shots were making her feel like crap. Besides, I have yet to see a dog who doesn't practically swoon at the very idea of sticking their head out the window at forty miles per hour.” As he spoke, he rolled down the other back window, and Angel dashed across the seat to take in the new view. He giggled to himself. “Every time I have Twix in the back seat, I'm always worried he'll go flying out of the car. Hasn't happened yet, though. I don't really like the idea of having to scrape my Jack Russell off of some poor bastard's windshield.”

 

Sam snorted at that, and Gabriel seemed supremely satisfied with himself. Angel seemed to grow tired of the wind whipping through her fur and poked her head between the front seats, nudging Sam in the arm until he started to pet her. “Thanks for the invite by the way.” He scratched behind Angel's ear, and her tail thumped against the back seat. “Honestly, after what happened, I was kind of afraid you'd be weirded out or something.”

 

“Aw, come on, Sammich,” Gabriel scoffed. “You'd have to do a helluva lot to weird me out. Trust me on this one.” He smiled over at him, taking the opportunity to scratch Angel under her chin as they waited at a red light. “It's fine. Not anything you can help. And besides, you're not your disease.”

 

Sam smiled right back at him, feeling something warm flutter in his chest. “Thanks.”

 

“Don't mention it. Wanna find some tunes?” He reached down to turn on the radio, and the opening verse of _Boogie Wonderland_ made the windows rattle. Angel panted happily, going back to stick her head out into the evening air again as Gabriel sang along with energy that rivaled even hers.

 

“You like Earth, Wind and Fire?” Sam asked with a smirk, although the answer seemed pretty obvious to him to begin with. Gabriel laughed.

 

“Hell yeah, I like Earth, Wind and Fire! And from the looks of it, your dog does too.” He nodded his head back at Angel who was scampering excitedly from one window to the other and back again, her tail wagging like crazy. Sam chuckled to himself, and found that he simply couldn't stop smiling; by the time the song went into its second chorus, he was singing along too.

 

* * *

 

Gabriel's apartment was open and welcoming; a large bay window took up most of the wall by the couch in the living room, and it was decorated drawing from a pallet of calming blues and greens. The sun was starting to set outside, tinting the sky a rich pink that spilled across the light carpet like a rosy stain. “You can take her off the leash of you want,” Gabriel said as he let Sam and Angel inside. “Nothing in here that she can hurt. I've already had to dog-proof the place after all.”

 

That seemed to be the cue that Gabriel's own furry companion had been waiting for, because at that moment, a pudgy Jack Russell terrier came bounding in from the other room, jumping into Gabriel's arms as he knelt down and scooped him up. “What have you been getting up to while I was gone, you sneaky little bastard? You gonna embarrass me in front of the guests?”

 

“Guess this is Twix?” Sam asked, letting Angel off her leash. She immediately went over to the other dog, and they sniffed each other excitedly.

 

“Yeah, that's him,” Gabriel replied, standing up and wiping dog slobber off of his cheek. “Don't worry, he's been, ya know, snip-snipped. No unwanted doggy pregnancies to worry about here.”

 

“Good to know. I don't think I can handle being a grandfather just yet.”

 

Gabriel led him over to the couch, saying, “Feel free to take a load off, Sammich. Want something to drink while I get dinner ready?”

 

Twix and Angel circled each other, sniffing every inch of one another that they could reach before starting to wrestle. “You're cooking?” Sam asked as he watched the dogs paw at each each other. “I feel so special.”

 

“ _I_ invited _you,_ didn't I? I don't mind. I like to cook. Do you want that drink? I make a mean cosmo.”

 

Sam chuckled. “I can't even remember the last time I had a cosmopolitan.”

 

“I like girly cocktails,” Gabriel said with a shrug. “So sue me.”

 

Angel and Twix rolled under the coffee table and Sam lifted his feet up to get them out of the way. “I think I'm secure enough in my masculinity to have a girly drink,” he said. Gabriel grinned at him.

 

“One girly cocktail, extra femininity, coming right up.”

 

* * *

 

By the time he and Gabriel finished eating the best damn stir-fry Sam had ever tasted in his life, Angel and Twix had gotten tired of wrestling and had begun play tug-o-war with a squeaky toy in the middle of the living room. Sam leaned back on the couch, hand resting on his stomach as he let out a contented groan. “Good thing I made too much, huh?” Gabriel said with a grin, eying Sam's plate, which was clean again after three helpings.

 

“Sorry,” Sam said sheepishly. “Big appetite.”

 

“Oh please, like I mind. Saves me having to store the leftovers.” He looked over at the dogs as they slumped, looking tired. The squeaky toy dropped onto the floor as Twix waddled over to the couch, hopping up and curling up contentedly in Gabriel's lap. “Leave it to your puppy to tucker this guy out. For all the time he spends bouncing around you'd think he'd have less pudge.” He patted Twix's tummy affectionately, and the dog rolled onto his back, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth.

 

“How long have you had him?” Sam asked, reaching down to pet Angel as she sat by his feet.

 

Gabriel shrugged. “Few years. I try not to get attached to the dogs that come into the shelter, you know? No more than necessary, anyway. They come and go so quickly, it's not worth it to bond much. But this little guy just wouldn't let me go. Would you?” He rubbed Twix's stomach, and the dog's tail thwacked against his thigh.

 

“Guess we both have a weak spot, huh?”

 

“Like you wouldn't believe. My two vices in life, Sammich, are candy bars and puppies.”

 

“There are worse vices to have.”

 

Gabriel gingerly sipped his cosmo. “Sure are.”

 

Angel pawed at Sam's shin for a moment before going to sit by the window, gazing out at the cars rolling by on the street below, and Sam glanced from her over to Gabriel, whose dog was now dozing happily on his lap. “So is it just...you two?” he asked tentatively.

 

“Yep,” Gabriel said. “I'm kind of just enjoying the single life for a bit.” He swirled his drink in his glass, regarding it carefully for a moment before saying, “My last boyfriend was kind of a jerk, and it took me way too long to see it. I sorta realized it was kind of a pattern, you know? So I decided to think with my upstairs brain and embrace my temporary celibacy while I got my shit together.”

 

Sam nodded, feeling the smallest hint of warmth flutter in his chest when he noticed the choice of pronoun; he was careful not to let it show. After all, he wasn't here for anything more than a drink and some dinner, just the two of them and their dogs. “I can respect that,” he said. “For what it's worth, you deserve better than some jerk.”

 

“Glad to know you think so, Sammich,” Gabriel said with a warm grin. “It's not so bad, really. I've got this little guy to keep me company.” He patted Twix on the stomach, and the dog barely stirred before falling asleep again. “Plus my job keeps me busy enough. Still...nice to have another human on my couch with me.” He swirled his drink again, not sipping it, but watching the pink liquid settle in the glass when he stilled his hand. “Thanks for not freaking out, by the way.”

 

“About what?”

 

“About the boyfriend thing.”

 

“What's to freak out about?”

 

“You know what, Sammich. C'mon, I know it's 2013 and people are more accepting and all that, but you never know how people are going to take it.”

 

“Do you really think I'd freak out about something like that?”

 

“Well...no, but still. Thanks.” He looked down at the dog in his lap, fondness warming his gaze. “That's kinda why I love dogs, you know? My family wasn't exactly...open to the whole idea of me wanting to see other dudes naked. They never kicked me out or anything like that, but there was always something there. They...looked at me different.” He frowned, and Sam found himself doing the same.

 

“I know the feeling,” he said somberly.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Sam nodded. “I had a seizure my first day of high school. After that...everyone looked at me like I was a time bomb, like they were just waiting for me to sprout a second head or something.”

 

“Well, for what it's worth,” Gabriel said, “You don't look much like a time bomb to me.”

 

Sam chuckled, tracing the diamond pattern on the dark fabric of the couch with one finger. “Did your family ever come around?”

 

Gabriel shrugged. “They never looked at me the same, if that's what you're wondering. I just learned to deal with it.” He started rubbing Twix's belly again, and the dog finally woke up, rolling off of Gabriel's lap and curling up beside him. “I started volunteering at a dog shelter by my house when I was in high school. Just fell in love with it. With them. Animals don't care what you look like, or who you love. They just want someone to feed them and rub their tummy, and if you can do that, they'll look at you like the sun shines out your ass.”

 

He grinned up at him, and before Sam could process what he was even doing, he was leaning forward and kissing Gabriel with everything he had.


	5. Chapter 5

He was kissing Gabriel.

 

He was leaning forward, lips pressed against his, with Twix squirming between them. He couldn't move, couldn't think, didn't want to pull back because if he did, Gabriel might just push him away. Sam waited, his heart pounding in his chest, for the inevitable shove, for Gabriel to put a stop to it and kick him out of his apartment, never to speak to him again, but it never came, and his breath caught in his throat when he realized that Gabriel's lips were moving against his.

 

Gabriel was kissing him back.

 

Twix hopped down off of the couch as Gabriel's hand wandered up to Sam's shoulder, a soft hum escaping his mouth as he ran his tongue across Sam's bottom lip. Sam sighed, pressed forward, melting into the kiss; his heart was still racing, but not from anxiety now.

 

It was over far too quickly, and when they pulled away, they stared at each other, motionless and silent.

 

Finally, Gabriel said, “Oh.”

 

“Sorry...” Sam mumbled as he flushed red and scratched the back of his neck, and Gabriel chuckled.

 

“Sorry? For what?”

 

“That was kind of...unexpected, I know.”

 

“You can say that again. I wasn't even sure you swung that way.” Sam laughed, in spite of himself, at Gabriel's wording. “Don't have to apologize. It was...nice.” He shrugged. “Hell, I have half a mind to invite you to stay the night...”

 

Sam looked up at him, eyebrows hiking up in surprise, and Gabriel relentingly put up his hands. “I know, I know...it's crazy, and I shouldn't but...” He let out a breath, smiling to himself. “Give me some credit, Sammich. I haven't been with anyone for almost a year. I can't help it if I'm sort of eager.”

 

Sam could have sworn Gabriel looked almost sheepish, his shoulders rounded and his fingers digging into the couch cushion as he tried not to blush and failed magnificently. “Actually...” Sam said tentatively, biting the side of his lip, “I wouldn't say no...”

 

“Seriously?” Gabriel asked, staring at him, wide-eyed.

 

Sam nodded, and leaned in closer, brushing his lips over Gabriel's again. Gabriel ran his fingers through Sam's hair for just one short moment before Sam pulled away again. “But...”

 

“But?” The hand that had rested in the indentation of Sam's neck squeezed him lightly, as if saying, “Please don't stop. Don't go.”

 

“I have to work in the morning.”

 

“Call in sick?”

 

“I already took a sick day this week...Missouri will think something's up if I call in again.”

 

“Then I'll drive you there in the morning,” Gabriel insisted. “I have to get to the shelter bright and early anyway. It's no trouble.”

 

Sam smiled, a bit sadly, hands trailing over Gabriel's sides. He knew that he shouldn't, but he pressed another lingering kiss to the side of his mouth anyway, and Gabriel whined. “You said you were taking it slow...”

 

“I'm trying to break my habit of sleeping with jerks. You're not a jerk.” He nodded over at Angel, who had fallen asleep curled up by the window. “That little ball of fur over there proves that.” Sam smiled fondly at her, then turned back to the man whose arms were wrapping tighter and tighter around his shoulders.

 

He sighed, leaning in, letting himself give into temptation if only for just a moment and trailing kisses down Gabriel's jaw and neck. The noise that erupted from Gabriel's throat made Sam grin against his Adam's apple, and he pressed Gabriel back against the arm of the couch, letting nimble hands skim down over his back as he did.

 

It was almost painful to pull away, and Gabriel tried to pull him close again, but Sam sat up despite the hands tugging at his collar. “We shouldn't...”

 

“Why?” Gabriel whined, and in spite of himself, Sam chuckled.

 

“I want to at least buy you dinner first,” he said with a half-smile, and Gabriel arched an eyebrow at him.  
  


“Seriously?”

 

“Seriously.” Sam leaned forward and kissed him softly, barely a peck. “I'd love to give this a try. Really, I would. Just let me take you on an actual date first. Okay?”

 

Gabriel sighed, long and heavy, but he managed a smile as well. “Fine. Wine and dine me, Sammich.”

 

“Next Friday night?”

 

“Friday?” Gabriel moaned, shoulders slumping. Twix waddled over and nudged at his leg in what seemed like an attempt to comfort him. “Why wait that long?”

 

Sam shrugged. “I have morning shifts all week, but I have Saturday off.” His smile grew as he scratched the back of his neck. “At the very least we wouldn't have to worry about needing to get up early.”

 

“Oh, I see what you're getting at, Sammich,” Gabriel said with a smirk. “I like the way you think.” He crossed his arms, nodding confidently. “Alright then, Sambo. Consider this my RSVP.”

 

* * *

 

By the time Sam got back to his apartment, it was nearly one in the morning, and he pressed one lingering kiss to Gabriel's lips before getting out of the car and heading up the stairs into the breezeway. Angel was curled up, asleep in his arms, and he put her down gently in her doggy bed once he got inside before heading to his own room and collapsing into bed with a smile on his face.

 

He had a date for Friday: his first in a good long time and the first that he could even remember looking forward to this much. And it wasn't just the thought of sex that got him excited (though he would have been lying had he said that he wasn't insanely happy about the prospect) – it was the fact that Gabriel was the first person besides his brother and Missouri and a handful of others who didn't look at him with pity or uncertainty because of the medic alert bracelet on his wrist.

 

Talking to him made him feel, even if just for a little while, like his brain hadn't mutinied against him. In such a short time, Gabriel had seen the reality of Sam's illness, and instead of cringing away from it, instead of awkwardly strafing around the subject like mentioning it would somehow summon it like like the Kraken, he listened, and accepted it for what it was: not an all-consuming monster or a dirty secret, but merely an unfortunate quirk of biology.

 

Having someone treat it as just a footnote of Sam's life, rather than the entirety of his identity, was more comforting than Sam could admit even to himself.

 

He fell asleep almost the moment his head hit the pillow, not even bothering to brush his teeth or change his clothes, and he slept soundly.

 

* * *

 

After Sam got off his morning shift on Wednesday, he went home just long enough to strap on Angel's leash before he headed out again to get her some exercise. He'd slept in that morning, and barely had enough time to take her out to do her business, let alone take her for a real walk. “Sorry for rushing you this morning, girl,” he said as they made their way down the road, heading for Tall Tails. “Forgive me?”

 

She gazed up at him, her tongue hanging happily out of the side of her mouth, and he smiled at her. “Good.”

 

Angel looked around excitedly as they entered the lobby of the shelter, and Sam figured that for a dog, all the smells that had to be lingering in the air in a place like this had to be somewhat overwhelming. He leaned down to pat her soothingly on the head before approaching the counter, where a young, redheaded woman was smiling down at Angel.

 

“Your dog is adorable,” she said.

 

Sam reached down to scoop the puppy up in his arms and rub her belly. “Yeah, I like to think so.”

 

“Got a name?”

 

“Her name is Angel.”

 

“It's perfect,” the woman beamed. “I'm Anna by the way.”

 

Sam put Angel down and extended a hand, which Anna shook. “Sam,” he said. “Is Gabriel here?”

 

“Oh you're _that_ Sam,” Anna said with a smile.

 

“ _That_ Sam?”

 

“The great dog rescuer. Gabriel was blown away by you taking in that dog the way you did. You're sort of a hero around here.”

 

Sam chuckled. “Geez...seriously?” Anna nodded, and pointed toward the door behind the counter.

 

“Gabriel is out back in the play yard, giving the big dogs their exercise. You can go see him if you want. You can even bring her-” She glanced down at Angel. “Just as long as you keep her on her leash.”

 

“Can do,” Sam said, and he scooted behind the counter, Angel padding along by his side as he pushed the door open.

 

He could hear barking and howling, and when he looked through the chain link fence to his right, he could make out Gabriel, arm cocked back as he got ready to toss a ball. At his feet, a golden retriever, two yellow labs and what looked like a young great Dane ready to fetch. Sam grinned as he pushed through the gate, keeping a firm hold on Angel's leash. She was practically bouncing at his heels.

 

“We'll play some fetch later, girl. I promise.” He scratched her ear. “I think you might be out of your league with these guys.”

 

The yard was large, tucked behind the shelter, away from the road. It was fenced in all around, a wide green field littered with play toys. A large poodle and a chocolate lab wrestled by a large maple tree near the fence; a whippet sat perched on top of a wooden platform, eying the German shepherd that was climbing up the stairs beside it. The ball that Gabriel had readied a moment before went flying through the air, followed by a pack of excited canines, and Angel yapped at them as she watched them run by.

 

Gabriel turned at the sound, and grinned widely when he saw Sam. “What are you doing here?” he asked with a fond chuckle. The golden retriever got to the ball first and came bounding back over, and Gabriel knelt down to pry it from the dog's mouth and offer a solid pat on the head in exchange.

 

“So this is what you do all day?” Sam asked, pulling Angel back when she tried to run to join the whippet and German shepherd, who were now dueling for the top spot on the platform. “Play fetch?”

 

“Among other things,” Gabriel replied with a shrug. “Have to make sure they get their exercise, you know? I can't keep them cooped up in their kennels all day.” He threw the ball again, and it sailed past the tree where the lab and the poodle seemed to have settled their differences; they looked up lazily as it whizzed by, and the poodle joined in the chase a moment later. This time, the Dane and the retriever got to it at the same time, and after a momentary scuffle, the young Dane sauntered back over to Gabriel, victorious.

 

Gabriel glanced down at Angel, who was practically vibrating on the end of her leash. “That's just mean, not letting her run around when all these other dogs are having fun.”

 

“I wasn't sure if she should. I mean, she's kind of small.”

 

“If you want to let her frolic a little, I won't tell anyone. All these dogs have had their rabies shots and whatnot, and they're all big softies. Just as long as you keep an eye on that little whippet over there. He can get testy, but it's nothing to worry about.” Sam looked over at the dog mentioned; it had successfully defended its post from the shepherd, which was slinking away now to join the chocolate lab beneath the tree, a blue squeaky toy in its jaws. It chewed on it energetically in the shade.

 

“You sure?” Sam asked. Gabriel tossed the ball up and down in the air after plucking it from the great Dane's mouth. Angel followed its every movement with her gaze, panting excitedly.

 

“Let your puppy have a little fun.”

 

Gabriel threw the ball again just as Sam unhooked Angel's leash, and the collie was off like a shot, running alongside the other dogs after it. The poodle was the one to catch it this time, and it sauntered back over to Gabriel as Angel and the others got distracted sniffing each other.

 

“I swear it's like she's the Energizer bunny or something,” Gabriel laughed. “Does she ever run out of juice?”

 

“She's either docile as a butterfly or bouncing off the walls like a little ball of furry lightning,” Sam said, and Gabriel rolled the ball in his hands as he laughed. Angel broke away from the crowd, the rest following soon after, and she scratched at Gabriel's knees.

 

“Alright, alright already! I'm throwing it!” He brought his arm back, then thrust it forward, but the ball never left his hand. He cackled as the dogs bolted in the other direction before realizing they'd been duped. The poodle looked offended while the great Dane and the two labs seemed to be questioning everything they'd ever known to be true in the world.

 

Sam nudged Gabriel with a soft laugh. “Now who's being mean?”

 

“I'm just messing with them. They'll forget about it as soon as I throw the thing.” He tossed it again, for real this time, and the group of canines was off once more. “That's the nice thing aboug dogs. They don't hold grudges. Seriously, though." He turned toward Sam. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Honestly? I just wanted to say hi.”

 

“Aww, aren't you adorable?” He reached up and patted Sam's shoulder, kneeling down when Angel brought him the ball. “Well, look at you, keeping up with the big guys!” he praised, and he ruffled her fur as she dropped the ball at his feet.

 

As Gabriel wiped the drool off on his shirt, Sam asked, “We're still on for this Friday, right?”

 

“Absolutely,” Gabriel assured him with a smile. “Wouldn't miss it for the world.”

 

* * *

 

After the game of fetch had run its course, Sam and Gabriel sat on a bench by the door and watched the dogs entertain themselves. The Dane and the whippet had gotten into a rousing match of tug-o-war over a rope toy, and the German shepherd had taken the opportunity to climb the platform and perch atop it like a king. The poodle and the retriever chased each other around the field, just inside the fence, and the three labs alternated between wrestling and napping in the shade of the maple tree. Angel sat at Sam's feet, watching the action from the sidelines now. Her tail thumped happily against his leg.

 

“You really love your job, don't you?” Sam asked.

 

Gabriel nodded, lazily arching one brow. “You don't?”

 

“I don't hate it,” Sam said with a shrug. “I love the books, and the people, I guess. But I don't think it's what I want to do for the rest of my life.”

 

“What _do_ you want to do?”

 

“I don't know, really. When I was little I always dreamed of being a vet.” He chuckled to himself. “I even thought I'd go that route when I was in college, for a little while. But after everything that happened, it sort of just didn't seem like something I could do anymore.”

 

Gabriel frowned, gazing up at him sadly. “Don't talk like that, Sammich. You could still get there, you know. Never too late. Isn't that what they say?”

 

“I could, I guess...You never know, right?” He smiled at Gabriel, petting Angel when she hopped up and leaned her forepaws against his leg. “But for now I'm just concentrating on Friday. One thing at a time.”

 

Gabriel grinned at him, fishing a dog treat out of his pocket and discretely tossing it to Angel. She gobbled it up in the blink of an eye. 


	6. Chapter 6

The week seemed to drag on forever; Sam spent his mornings shelving books in the library before coming home and taking Angel out for her afternoon walk. The route took him by Tall Tails, but he didn't go inside again, not yet anyway. It wasn't the right time.

 

Finally, Friday came; Sam's mood started out on a high buzz in the morning, and by the time he finished his shift and left work at one in the afternoon, he felt ready to burst. He took Angel to the park, hoping to burn off some of his excess energy as he helped her expend hers, tossing her tennis ball in wide, sailing arches and watching her run after it at top speed before bringing it back, time and time again.

 

Angel settled into her doggie bed for a nap when they got back, but Sam couldn't even think of sleeping. He couldn't remember being this excited in months. He chuckled to himself, thinking of how ridiculous it would have sounded to any outside observer, him being so ludicrously eager to go on a simple date, but there was something about Gabriel that was different than anyone else he'd ever known. He'd met him such a short time ago, and yet Gabriel knew more about him than most people ever would. It was almost like they'd known each other for so much longer.

 

But he didn't dwell on that; his thoughts felt more and more like they were marching one by one out of a Lifetime movie, and as excited as he was, it was just one date. Not that he expected it to be horrible or anything of the sort, but he was determined not to make it anything more than what it was for the moment.

 

So he took to absently flipping through the TV channels until it got to be around six o'clock, and at that point, he turned away from the re-run of Cops that was starting on his screen and glanced out the window.

 

Gabriel would be there soon, and it occurred to Sam that he was starving. He'd barely eaten lunch, and he hadn't eaten breakfast that morning. He wasn't about to ruin his appetite before dinner, but he didn't want to inhale an entire basket of bread like he hadn't eaten in weeks the moment they sat down, so he went to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of dry Cheerios to munch on while he waited.

 

His head spun as he turned around, and wow, his blood sugar must have been lower than he realized. He blinked a moment to steady himself, and was just making his way back to the couch when Angel darted between his legs and started weaving around his ankles, yapping madly.

 

“Watch it, girl,” he chided. Her barks only made his head swim even more. “What are you-” He stopped, putting the Cheerios down on the counter. A weight settled in his stomach as he leaned against the wall, Angel's vocalizations echoing in his skull. This couldn't happen...not now.

 

Heart pounding, Sam staggered forward, fighting to find his footing despite the way the room was spinning. He could feel the fog creeping into the edges of his consciousness, pushing at the borders of his mind. His hands shook, and his leg struck something solid before he pitched forward.

 

The last thing he remembered was a sharp, blinding pain on his temple on his way down before his vision blurred away.

 

* * *

 

Big fell forward with a crash that shook Angel's paws as she rushed toward him. Her little heart beat madly as she called out to him, over and over, pressing her nose to the side of his head to try and get the shaking to stop. But it wouldn't. It kept going, on and on, like before, and his eyes looked all wrong, vacant and staring at her without really seeing.

 

Her nose came away sticky and warm, and she whimpered with dread. Something was wrong. Big needed help. But who was there to help him? Big was the only one here with her, and she couldn't help him like this. She ran circles around him, nudging him hard, but he wouldn't budge, and the shaking just wouldn't stop.

 

A loud, pounding noise made her jump, and she rushed over to where it had come from. The way out was closed, but someone was on the other side, banging and hitting and yelling, angry and loud. The voice scared her; she recognized it as the one that made Big mad, and she didn't like it. But maybe he could open the way for her to get out, to get help. She stood up on her hind paws and scratched, desperately, crying and crying out for help.

 

The pounding stopped, but the voice remained, yelling and growling. There was a hard, twisting noise from the shiny thing above her, and she was pushed back as the way opened. She darted out between the angry man's legs and ran, howling all the way.

 

A pair of hands scooped her up roughly, and she squirmed, but there was no way out. A voice growled at her, rumbling against her back that was pressed to his chest, and she whined. Why wasn't he helping Big? Surely, he could. But why wasn't he doing anything but hold her here, yelling?

 

Finally, she caught a familiar scent in the air, and her paws touched the ground as the angry man dropped her. She ran down the steps as quick as she could, toward the Treat Man. He smiled at her, and spoke to her in kind, soothing tones, but she had no time to greet him. Big was still in trouble, and she knew that this one could help, like he had before.

 

Desperately, she weaved between his legs, seeing him grow worried. When she leaped up the steps again, toward where Big was, he followed. He ran ahead of her, pushing past the angry man and ignoring whatever he said, going inside.

 

When she made it back, Treat Man was kneeling beside Big. The shaking had stopped, but Big still wasn't moving. She nudged at him, again and again, whining as Treat Man spoke to him as if he could hear. Even the angry man came inside and knelt beside them, and now his face had changed, the anger fading.

 

She curled beside Big and nuzzled against his neck as she waited; surely someone would help him now. Soon, others came, carrying lots of strange things with a bitter scent that burned her nose. Treat Man hoisted her up and put her on the couch, and she whined, not wanting to be taken away from Big when he needed her, but the others were moving him now, putting him on something long and odd-smelling and carrying him away.

 

She cried, but Treat Man soothed her, his hand stroking against her fur until she calmed. She couldn't see Big, didn't know where he was or if he had woken up. The smell of blood lingered, mixed with the burning scent of the strange things the others had brought in and the familiar smell of Treat Man and Big. She shook in his arms.

 

He was still talking to her, still soothing her as he brought her outside. There was a loud crying sound that hurt her ears as a big moving machine, like the one she'd ridden in with Big and Treat Man, pulled away. She wanted to give chase; part of her knew that Big was inside of it, but Treat Man held her firm.

 

It disappeared, along with the sound and the smell that burned her nose, and Treat Man held her close, just kept stroking and stroking her fur until everything was quiet again.

 

* * *

 

Sam hated hospitals. Always had, and probably always would. He'd been in and out of them as a kid, and the smell of antiseptic – even the kind people bought by the barrel from the drugstore during flu season – made him feel nauseous. But that night, he was too burned out to care.

 

He didn't remember the ambulance ride, though they told him he'd been in and out of consciousness. The ER had been nothing but a blur of tests and questions and pokes and prods. He'd been admitted at some point, and he'd been vaguely aware of Dean sitting by his bedside and talking to him; what he'd said back, he didn't know, though he thought he could recall words tripping from his throat.

 

It wasn't until the following morning that he felt clear, like he'd just pulled himself out of some murky, muddy pond and was just now able to catch his breath and wipe the muck from his eyes to see again. His head ached, and his entire body was stiff, but at least he could think straight.

 

Dean had fallen asleep in the chair to his right at some point during the time Sam had still been trapped in the fog, and his older brother was still slumped against the flat cushions, snoring. His throat was dry when he tried to speak his name, and his voice came out as nothing but a rough mess, so he reached out and nudged him on the knee instead.

 

Slowly, Dean groaned, blinking awake, and he grinned tiredly. “Mornin' sleeping beauty,” he said.

 

“Shut up...” Sam managed, smiling to himself. He sat up in bed, ignoring the way his muscles ached in protest, and he brushed his fingers against the gauze bandage on his temple.

 

“You scraped your head on the damn coffee table on the way down,” Dean said. “Don't have a concussion. Guess that thick skull of yours comes in handy, huh?”

 

Sam sighed, staring down at his hands as they settled in his lap. “I had another seizure...” he murmured, and Dean nodded.

 

“A fuckin' bad one too. You'd think if that puppy of yours was as good as you said, you'd have gotten your ass to bed or something.”

 

“She tried,” Sam assured him. “To warn me, I mean...I was just distracted, is all.” He thought back to Gabriel, to how excited he'd been to see him again, and disappointment settled heavy in his chest before he could stop it.

 

Dean almost seemed to read his mind, leaning back in the chair with a heavy sigh and rubbing his eyes as he said, “Gabriel found you. Apparently that neighbor of yours was trying to give you a piece of his mind about the noise, and when he opened the door, Angel went bolting straight down the stairs, yapping like crazy.” He chuckled. “Kinda sounded like Lassie trying to tell him little Timmy fell down the well.”

 

“Gabriel found me like that?” Sam asked, frowning. Dean nodded.

 

“Yeah, but Gordon was the one to call 911, if you can believe it. Guess he's not a _complete_ ass. Though 99% of one ain't bad.” He fell silent for a while before leaning forward, his hands folded on his lap. “I'm gonna stay with you a while, you hear me? When you get out of here.”

 

“Dean, you don't have-”

 

“Let me finish,” Dean said firmly, holding up a hand. “Look, I didn't know what the hell was gonna happen to you. When I saw you down in the ER, you were barely conscious, covered in blood. I know I don't look it, Sammy, but I was flipping out, okay?” His voice trembled, only slightly, and he wrung his hands together for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. “I'm your big brother, alright? It's my job to worry about you.”

 

Sam sighed. “Yeah, I know...”

 

“It's not gonna be permanent, okay? I know you're dead-set on living on your own, you stubborn bitch.” The corners of Sam's mouth twitched up, just a bit. “Just for a little while. We're gonna get you on some new meds, keep this from happening again. Just till I know you're okay. Then you can kick my ass out. Deal?”

 

Sam found himself smiling, and he nodded. “Alright...”

 

“Okay,” Dean said with a nod of his own, and be stood. “Christ, I need some coffee. I'll be right back...”

 

“Dean-” His brother turned when he called his name, and Sam bit his lip. “Where's Gabriel? And Angel?”

 

A knowing smile tugged at the corners of Dean's lips. “Ah, he's fine. The furball too. He's letting her stay at his place for now, till you get out of here. And don't worry, I'll bet he's gonna jump on the chance to reschedule your date.” Dean grinned, and the knot in Sam's chest unclenched, if only just a little.

 

* * *

  **Six months later...**

 

“Well? C'mon, Sammich! Let's see it!”

 

Sam smiled, hand going to his pocket as he pulled out his shiny new driver's license. Gabriel cheered, punching him lightly in the shoulder. “Knew you had it in you, ya big sasquatch.”

 

“I'm not sixteen, ya know. The test wasn't exactly hard.”

 

“Yeah, but when was the last time you were even street legal? Besides, six months seizure free is nothing to sneeze at. This is a big deal, and I say we celebrate!”

 

“I won't argue with that,” Sam said, Gabriel drawing him over to the couch. Angel hopped up on the arm of the sofa and nuzzled his shoulder as he sat down, but she was quick to jump out of the way as Gabriel pinned him back against the cushions and kissed him, smiling against his lips.

 

“You know, when I invited you over, I figured we could go to dinner or something,” Sam chuckled. Gabriel pulled back, only slightly.

 

“Later,” he breathed. “And this time, you can drive me.”

 

Sam could have sworn he saw Angel roll her eyes as she padded over to her doggie bed in the corner and curled up with her favorite chew toy. By the time they were done, limbs entangled on the couch as they caught their breath, she'd fallen asleep.

 

“I hope we didn't scar her or something...” Sam breathed. Gabriel laughed, the sound rumbling low through his chest until Sam could feel it in his bones.

 

“She's a dog. I doubt she cares. She probably thought we were wrestling or something.”

 

“You're impossible,” Sam chided, whacking him lightly on the arm. Gabriel just snuggled closer, a self-satisfied grin on his face. They fell silent, and Sam contemplated the ceiling for a few minutes before speaking again. “I think I should go back to school...Maybe there's still a chance for me to become a vet.”

 

“Course there's a chance. I keep tellin' ya, Sammich, it's never too late.”

 

“Maybe...”

 

Gabriel yawned, grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and pulling it over them both. “I could use a cat nap,” he said, and Sam chuckled.

 

“Dinner later?” Sam asked. Gabriel nodded.

 

“Dinner later...”

 

He'd barely gotten the words out before he was asleep, and Sam rubbed his back and smiled. Angel woke up from her nap and looked up at him, and he stretched out his hand in a silent invitation. She needed no more convincing that that before she padded over and hopped up on the couch, and she curled up next to the two of them, head resting on Sam's shoulder, and quickly fell asleep once more.


End file.
